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No. s|3,457. Patented Nov. I, I898.

J. c. MILLER.

EXTENSION STANDARD.

(Application flied Apr. 11, 1898.)

(N0 Modal.)

TNE nunrus PEYERS 00.. mmuuma. wnsummou. o. c.

NITED STATES JOHN o. MILLER, or TORRINGTON,

CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE MILLER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAMEPLACE.

EXTENSION- STANDARD.

SPE'CIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,457, datedNovember 1, 1898.

Application filed April 11, 1898.

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN O. MILLER, of Torrington, in the county ofLitchfield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement inExtension-Standards and I do hereby declare the following, when taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings and the letters of referencemarked thereon, to be a full, clear, and-exact description of the same,and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, andrepresent, in-'- Figure 1, abroken View, in side elevation, of anextension-standard constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2,a View thereof in Vertical section; Fig. 3, an enlarged view, intransverse section, on the line a b of Fig.2; Fig. 4:, a detached brokenview, in side elevation, of the upper end of the tubular standard andthe housing thereof; Fig. 5, a detached view, in side elevation, of theoperating-sleeve; Fig. 6, a similar view of the locking-cone; Fig; 7, asimilar View of theball fender; Fig. 8, a similar View of a cap whichcovers the ball-fender and which is secured to the housing at the upperend of the tubular standard.

My invention relates to an improvement in extension-standards forpiano-lamps, shaving-stands, store-fixtures, &c., the object be ing toproduce a simple, durable, .and effective device composed of few partsnot liable to derangement and constructed with particular reference toease of operation.

With these ends in view my invention consists in certain details ofconstruction and combination of parts, as will 'be hereinafterdescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

In carrying out my invention as herein shown I employ a corrugatedextension-tube A, adapted at its upper end to have a lampfount, ashaving-stand, a display-rack, &c., to be secured to it, the saidadaptation depending upon the character of the use to which the deviceis to be put. I have used the term extension-tube, but obviously a solidrod would answer just aswell, though not as easy to corrugate andunnecessarily heavy. At its lower end the said tube is extended downinto a tubular standard B, which at its lower end terminates in aspreading support of some suitable construction.

$erial No. 677,209. (No modelal The corrugated extension-tube A issupported in any desired position of elevation with respect to thestandard B by means of balls C,

riding in its corrugations and coacting with a locking-cone D, made ofsteel or other corresponding metal, the'said cone having aninwardly-turned flange d at its lower end and an outwardly-turned flanged at its upper end and placed within a shell-like housing E, located atthe upper end of the tubular standard B and made integral therewith orattached thereto, as may be desired. The upper end of the housing isenlarged to form a horizontal shoulder e and a vertical flange e. Theflange d of the locking-cone D is sup ported, as shownin Fig. 2, uponthe horizontal shoulder e of the said housing.

The balls 0, of which three are used in the particular constructionchosen for illustration, are severally located in three ballnotches Fformed at equal points apart in an operating-sleeve F, which at itslower end is formed with a horizontal flange F which rests upon ahorizontal shoulder 6 formed where the housing E offsets from thestandard B. The inwardly-turned flange d of the locking-cone D restsupon the upper surface of the flange F of the operating-sleeve, as alsoshown in Fig. 2. Each notch F of the operating-sleeve is formed with avertical edge or wall f and inclined edge or Wall f, the vertical wallsf of the notches blocking the balls 0, so as to prevent the turning ofthe tube A except in one direction, and the inclined walls f of thenotches F operating in conjunction with the corrugated extension-tube tolift the balls in the tapering'ball-chamber G formed between thelocking-cone D and the operating-sleeve F, the said annular ball-chamberF, while on the other hand the tube is prevented from being rotated toofar in the other direction by means 'of a ball-fender H in the form of aWasher supported upon the upper ends of the cone D and sleeve F, andtherefore closing the top of the ball-chamber G.

The engagement of the balls with the lower face of this fender preventsthe undue rotation of the extension-tube A through the medium of theballs which rest between the vertical flutes of the said tube. A conicalcap I, having a bayonet-slot joint I in its flange I fits down over theflange e of the housing E and forms a cap for the said housing, as wellas a means for securing the fender II in place, the cap itself beingsecured in place by means of a bayonet-joint pin I mounted in the flangee of the housing E, as shown in Fig. 1.

Normally the action of gravity and the downward thrust of the tube Acauses the balls 0 to move downward in the annular ball-chamber G, andhence inward toward the tube A, on account of the conical form impartedto the chamber by the locking-cone D. In this way the balls will becrowded with such force into the corrugations of the tube A that thesame will be firmly supported in the standard. Now to unlock the tube topermit it to be raised or lowered it is grasped by the hand and rotatedin the direction of the inclined walls f of the ball-notches F of theoperating-sleeve F. As the tube is rotated the balls are carried with itby reason of their being embedded, so to speak, in its verticalcorrugations. They are therefore positively moved with the tube, slidingover the smooth inner face of the locking-cone D. As the balls are thuspositively moved with the tube A when the same is rotated they will belifted by the inclined walls f of the operatingnotches F into the upperportion of the ballchamber G, which is large enough to permit them tomove outward sufficiently to release their hold upon the tube and permitthe same to be freely raised or lowered so long as it is maintained inits rotated position. To relock the tube, a slight reverse rotation isimparted to it, whereby the balls are allowed to run down the inclines fof the ball-notches F. As the balls run down the said incline they runinto the lower part of the chamber G and are forced inward by the coneD, so as to again take a firm hold upon the extensiontube A, which theylook in virtually the vertical adjustment it had at the time it wasreversely rotated, as explained. It will thus be seen that I employ thecorrugations of the tube as one of the factors for moving the balls inunlocking the tube.

It is apparent that in carrying out my invention some changes andalterations may be made in the construction herein shown, and I wouldtherefore have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exactconstruction illustrated, but hold myself at liberty to make suchchanges and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of myinvention. I am aware, however, that extension-standards employing acorrugated extension-tube and balls for supporting the same in anydesired position of vertical adjustment are not broadly new, and I donot therefore make any broad claim to that combination.

Having fully described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire tosecure byLet-ters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a tubular standard, of a vertically-corrugatedextension-tube mounted in the said standard, one or more locking-ballsengaged with the corrugations of the tube, and means for lifting theballs to release the tube when the balls are moved toward such means bythe rotation of the tube, the corrugations of which cause the balls tobe moved with it when it is rotated.

2. The combination with a tubular standard having an annularball-chamber located in its upper end, of a vertically-corrugatedextension-tube mounted in the said standard and extending downwardthrough the said chamber, one or more locking-balls located within thesaid ball-chamber and entering between the corrugations of thecorrugated tube, and an operating-sleeve formed with ball-notches havinginclined lifting edges or walls, whereby the balls are lifted, when theextension-tube is rotated in the direction of the said inclined walls,so as to elevate them in the said ball-chamber and permit the tube to bevertically adjusted.

3. The combination with a tubular standard having an annularball-chamber located in its upper end, of a vertically-corrugatedextension-tube mounted in the said standard, one or more balls locatedin the said chamber in position to engage with the said tube, and anoperating-sleeve formed with ball-notches which receive the said ballsand which have inclined lifting-walls which, when the tube is rotatedtoward the same, lift the balls and release the tube and permit it to beraised and lowered.

4. The combination with a tubular standard, of a vertically-corrugatedextension-tube mounted therein, a locking-cone located in the upper endof the standard, an operatingsleeve located within the said cone,forming an annular ball-chamber in conjunction there with, and formedwith ball-notches having inclined lifting-walls, and balls located inthe said notches and lifted by the said liftingwalls thereof, when thetube is rotated toward the said walls, for releasing the tube andpermitting it to be vertically adjusted.

5. The combination with a tubular stand ard, of a vertically-corrugatedextension-tube mounted therein, a locking-cone located in the upper endof the standard, an operatingslceve located within the said cone andformed with ball-notches, balls located in the said notches, aball-fender located above the cone and sleeve, and means for securingthe fen der in place.

6. The combination with a tubular standard, of an extension-tube mountedtherein, a locking-cone located within the upper end of the standard, anoperatingsleeve located within the cone, forming an annular ballchamberin conjunction therewith, and pro- Vided with ball-notches,- ballslocated in the said notches, a ball-fender located above the cone andsleeve for limiting the lifting movement of the balls,- and a cap placedover the said fender and secured to the tubular standard.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscrib- :0 ing witnesses J OHN C. MILLER.

Witnesses:

HENRY I. JACKSON, WILLARD A. RORABACK.

